Clearly, it had a bad impact in Jersey when AC first got into the act. Horse racing was the only legal form of gambling before casinos. Those tracks which have managed to get casino licenses (like Delaware Park) see higher purses, but few bettors trackside. One of my beefs with Christie of N.J. is that he favors the AC casinos and won’t let the Meadowlands get slots. People who gamble on horses also choose OTB parlors and that drives down attendance at the tracks. I find it really sad to go to a track and see so few people.
P.S., horse racing offers far better returns than casino gambling. Too many people are content to stupidly pull a lever than learn how to bet on horses.